Rotary engines such as the ones known as Wankel engines use the eccentric rotation of a piston to convert pressure into a rotating motion, instead of using reciprocating pistons. In these engines, the rotor includes a number of apex portions which remain in contact with a peripheral wall of the rotor cavity of the engine throughout the rotational motion of the rotor.
The space around the rotor within the rotor cavity defines a number of working chambers which must be sealed from one another in order for the engine to work efficiently. The working chambers must also be sealed from the oil exposed central portion of the rotor cavity. Prior art sealing arrangements typically have gaps between some of the adjacent seal members, which may be due to manufacturing tolerances and/or differential thermal expansions of the seal elements and rotor.
In particular, it is known to provide apex seals along the apex portions and face seals along end faces of the rotor which are interconnected through intermediate or end seals. However, the manufacturing tolerances of the face seal may result in undesirable gaps at their junction with the end seals.